skip to main |
skip to sidebar
Jesus said He'd come back in 3 days after His death and He did! What hope would we have if He hadn't? What joy could there be if He hadn't? What would life be like if we had no promise of a home in heaven?
How grateful I am that my sin debt was paid over 2000 years ago! On the cross of Calvary, my Savior suffered unspeakable agony. He carried the very cross He was nailed to and He endured suffering that we shall never know. He was spit upon, beaten and mocked. His blood ran down that cross to cleanse me from the filth of my sin!
Dear Ones....He did it for YOU....for ME....for the billions of us that inhabit this planet. He would have suffered this horrendous pain even if there'd only been one of us.
Such great love I cannot understand nor can I even comprehend. BUT...I believe it, every single word of what the Bible tells me took place on that day, I believe. What my Jesus did for me AND for you, is incredible. I can never repay Him for His sacrifice for me but because it DID happen, we have HOPE!
One day I will see Him face-to-face and on that day, I shall thank Him for giving everything for such a worm as I.
HE IS RISEN...HALLELUJAH...THE TOMB WAS EMPTY and HE HAS RISEN FROM THE GRAVE!!
Are you one of those types of people who just seem to refuse to learn "certain" lessons? Let me explain what I mean by "certain" types of lessons.
Seems like when there's physical pain involved in a lesson I've learned, I seem to remember the pain well. I will NEVER EVER pour gasoline on yard trash and then light it with a match. I learned the hard way by being badly burned and will never do that again.
It seems that "emotional" type lessons are much harder to learn. Now maybe that's just for me, but I can honestly say that I am proof positive of this truth.
Several months ago, Darrel finally gave in to my pleadings and said yes to allowing me to get a Golden Retriever. If you read my blog enough, you'll probably remember the pictures I posted of her and the joy I had when I brought her home. BUT....the joy faded as the weeks wore on and I realized that she was just TOO much for me to handle and care for. Darrel had tried to tell me over and over and over again that it would be too much for me, but my "dog lover" emotional heart would not hear the truth. He learily finally gave in to me. Now I wish he hadn't.
When will I learn? Why didn't I listen to him? He tried to tell me but I just KNEW he was wrong and that I could do it. But he was right.
The pain of him being right AGAIN was bad enough but then I had to look him in the face and tell him he was right! Then the worst part of it....I had to give her away. Not because he made me but because I knew it was the best thing to do. She was too strong for me and just too much dog for me.
Why don't I learn? Will THIS be the time I'll learn my lesson? I most certainly hope so. I'd like to say that I do believe I finally get it.
Isn't this a perfect picture of most all of us? Many of us are often found making the same mistakes over and over again and we keep ourselves in an emotional turmoil because we never seem to learn.
For me, it is time to STOP being so stubborn, so stupid actually. It's pretty painful to keep making the same mistakes over and over.
"Lord, help me to be wiser. Help me to face my downfalls and my weaknesses and get beyond them, once and for all. Help me be willing to admit that I am often wrong. I need a lot of work Lord, start NOW...I'm ready to LEARN!!"
"The eternal God is your refuge, and his everlasting arms are under you." Deut.33:27
MAN.....THAT IS GOOD STUFF!!! HIS ARMS ARE "UNDER" ME!!!
Let that thought sink in a minute....His ARMS are UNDER you! What an assurance to anyone who is struggling....and who isn't?
His arms will catch me when I fall....His arms will support me when I'm weary....His arms will carry me when I can no longer walk....His arms will always be UNDER me, undergirding me! WHEW!!! HALLEJUJAH! THANK YOU FATHER GOD!
Today, remember that HIS mighty arms are UNDER you. It doesn't matter what you are going through, He is supporting you. Let Him carry you, He is much stronger than you. Rest in those arms of His. Remember, HE is your refuge. RUN to Him and let Him hold you.
"Oh God, there are so many who are tired and feel as though they cannot go on another step. Thank you for those mighty arms that you have so lovingly placed under us. You are our strength Lord Jesus. You are our refuge. Carry those who are hurting and give them peace."
I'm probably one of millions who have been pondering the thought of "DOING WITHOUT" lately. As I've watched many on tv loose their homes and end up in tent shelters, it's made me think more and more about what we "CAN" live without.
To have been married for 37 years, we don't have a lot, at least according to many standards. But we have the Lord, we have each other, we have our children and grandchildren, we have food enough to eat and thanks to a very frugal husband, we have hardly any bills. We are blessed. Millions tonight are loosing the homes they raised their children in. They have no where to go and don't know where their next meal is going to come from. All the while, I sit in my home with virtually no threat of loosing it and realize I have so much more than so very many.
We are an extremely materialistic society. Our "stuff" makes us feel good and makes us feel as though we've made it. Our "stuff" fills up the empty places within us, makes us feel of value and brings us a sense of accomplishment in our lives.
But our "stuff" has absolutely nothing to do with what is really important in life. What happened to playing hide-n-go-seek after dinner at night, sitting out in lawn chairs talking to your neighbors, catching lightening bugs, picnics with your family right in your own backyard, playing board games and spending time talking to each other! We have become so busy making money, buying stuff and then taking care of all the stuff we're buying that we don't even have time for each other anymore.
In my opinion, DOING WITHOUT sounds a whole lot more appealing than what I see happening around us everywhere. If we each truly looked around our homes, we would realize that most of what we own we could definitely live without.
It's time....it's time for us to realize that less is still way more than what we need and that a little is better than a lot. This is a time to stop hoarding, start giving and get rid of things we do not need or can't afford.
DOING WITHOUT is smart and something in this day and time that we should be proud of. There is much we can do without and still live perfectly and happily ever after. We all need to learn to live with less and realize the sweetness in that simplicity.
What an honor to witness the hand of God today.
I was priviledged to see the heart of God at work when I watched one who had very little, open up their heart and give from the abundance of it, rather than their wallet. You see, their wallet doesn't hold very much but their heart seems to.
A great need of someone else was brought to their attention. After hearing their story, this person showed an amazing example of SELFLESS LOVE as they did what they could to be a blessing to another one whose need was great also.
"I've been there" ......."I've walked the same pain"........"I've felt the same way"......"I cannot do much, but I know what I can do and I will do what I am able"............these were all words that were spoken by the giver today.
SELFLESS LOVE.........love that gives until it hurts and then digs a little deeper still.
I'm so thankful that I was able to witness this act of kindness and SELFLESS LOVE. It was a God moment and I'm so thankful He allowed me to see HIM through this act. Help me God to give from my abundance AND in my poverty.
What act of SELFLESS LOVE can you exhibit today?
"And He sat down opposite the treasury, and began observing how the people were putting money into the treasury; and many rich people were putting in large sums.
A poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which amount to a cent.
Calling His disciples to Him, He said to them, "Truly I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all the contributors to the treasury; for they all put in out of their surplus, but she, out of her poverty, put in all she owned, all she had to live on." Mark 12:41-45
From the moment I stepped out of our van this morning, I felt it. What did I feel? The presence of the Holy Spirit! From my SS class on into the first service, the Holy Spirit was at work.
As I listened to Dale bring the message I was moved more than ever in my life before about the legacy I will leave behind for my children, grandchildren and all those grandchildren I will never meet on this side of heaven. The Holy Spirit began RAINING down as Dale spoke and I was struck with the immensity of my responsibility as a mother and grandmother. What sort of legacy am I leaving? I think about this daily but today, more than ever before.
The Holy Spirit continued to RAIN down on us in our evening service. As each song was sung, the Spirit of our Living God spoke to our hearts and RAINED His mercy and His great love down on us. I was drenched in His goodness and drawn into His arms as we, the worshippers of Jesus Christ, were RAINED down upon! Oh what a treasure....Oh what sweetness as Summer closed the service out with "My Redeemer Lives." As Holy Spirit RAIN began to fall....I was standing in my Saviors arms, exalting His name, face to face, with the One who died for me. Time and space seemed to stand still as I stood in worship to my King! I was being RAINED upon!
Holy Spirit RAIN down.....RAIN down on us until we are soaked in you. Fill us until we can no longer feel ourselves, but only YOU inside of us.
RAIN down on us....RAIN DOWN Holy Spirit!
"By FAITH Abraham, when he was called, obeyed by going out to a place which he was to receive an inheritance; and he went out not knowing where he was going."
Hebrews 11:8
Hebrews chapter 11 is one of my favorite chapters in the bible. Nearly every time I read it in its' entirety, I am in tears.
FAITH....great FAITH.....unshakable FAITH......that's the kind of FAITH that these heroes of FAITH had. I am moved by their committment to what they believed in. When I read that Abraham went out by FAITH but didn't even know where he was going...I am in awe!
How many times in my own life has God spoken to me but because He didn't give me clear direction, I stood still. Abraham didn't wait to hear God tell him where he was to go.....he just started going!
These great heroes were stoned, beaten, tempted, sawn in two and put to death. They hid out in caves and holes and wandered in deserts and mountains and did not even receive what they had been promised!
Now THIS, dear ones, is GREAT FAITH! This chapter holds much encouragement for we as Christians. These were regular men and women, nothing particularly special about them just like us. The only difference is they STOOD WITHOUT WAVERING ONE INCH in the face of adversity, pain, suffering and lonliness and they moved when God said MOVE!
Oh God....my FAITH is in you! YOU are what I long for....YOU are what I hope for....YOU are my everything....YOU LORD ARE ALL I NEED.
My FAITH is in YOU LORD!
What??? You might say. Surely it must be something that is difficult and hard to understand. Surely it must be something that would require physical strength, mental abundance or something such as that......right???
WRONG!!!
I CAN'T MASTER GUITAR HERO!!!!
I can't even finish not ONE song on EASY mode!!! Pathetic!
Tonight, we hung out with several of our grandchildren while Butch & Kay were gone. After burgers and dogs on the grill, they pulled out Wii Guitar Hero and began to play. Well....I use the word "play" loosely! You talk about funny! If video had been taken of Darrel and I attempting to play, it would have been worth thousands on America's Funniest Videos! We laughed our tails off at each other and naturally, the kids loved it!
There are many things I can do fairly well at 55 years of age but playing this simple game is NOT one of them!
What happens to us as we age? There seems to be a disconnect between our fingers and our brains! It was so hard for me to move my fingers as quickly as my brain was TRYING to tell them to move! Somehow, I just couldn't handle the two together without looking ridiculous. Let's just say there was LOTS of laughter and most of it was aimed toward Poppa and I!!
Ah well. I can either give up or keep trying. I WILL keep trying until I finally get through one whole song without being stopped.
What a great way to spend a Friday night..... with grandkids, grilled burgers and Guitar Hero! It doesn't get much better for us OLD fogeys! The time is NOW to let go, allow yourself to look silly with your grandchildren and just enjoy life! They'll love you more for it!
Anyone for a game of Guitar Hero? It's a sure bet you'll win if you play me!!
As I write this, I can hear the thunder rolling way off in the distance. Every time I hear it, the same memory fills my heart. No....it's not a childhood fear of storms. It's quite the opposite.
When I was just a little kid our first house had an attached garage. It was there that I fell in love with thunder. You see when storms started to approach, my dad would beckon me into the garage. We'd pull the garage door up and out would come the lawn chairs. We would sit and listen as the storm approached and count in between each roll of thunder to see how many miles away it was. As we sat and listened, in between you might hear us sing a song or two but you'd certainly hear lots of laughter.
I'm so glad that my father helped to teach me the wonder of a storm. I'm thankful that he helped me not to fear much of anything but chose to show me the beauty in all things AND people, for that matter.
My entire life I have adored nature, from a thunderstorm to every living creature that moves upon this wonderful planet.
Thanks for another great memory dad. Because of you, I'll always love thunderstorms.
When pain is all you feel...
When heartache seems to be the only feeling you are aware of...
When loneliness encompasses you and closes in on you...
When you are deserted and forgotten....
When your tears have filled up buckets...
When hope seems non-existant....
When joy is long forgotten...
When trials are all you seem to know...
When you are at the end of your rope....
Remember this...
"Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win."
1 Corinthians 9:24
RUN....RUN....RUN.....RUN....RUN....RUN....RUN...RUN FOR THE PRIZE OF CHRIST JESUS!
The prize for your faithfulness is CHRIST JESUS!!
Continue on in your journey putting one foot in front of the other. Our God, who is mighty and powerful and who died just for YOU...will carry you when you can no longer walk. His arms are strong...His heart yearns for you to lean on Him...
PRESS ON DEAR ONE....PRESS ON!
